law of storms
From Glossary of Meteorology
Historically, the general statement of 1) the manner in which the winds of a cyclone rotate about the cyclone's center, and 2) the way that the entire disturbance moves over the earth's surface.
The formation of this "law" was largely due to the investigations of Brandes in 1926, Dove in 1828, and Redfield in 1831. This knowledge of the general behavior of storms led to the issuance of rules for seamen instructing them in means of navigating to avoid the dangers of storms at sea.